Apartment 16B
by mintyfreshness1325
Summary: Mikuo is a new tenant at the Hitherwood Apartments, after moving out due to an overbearing mother and her tormenting boyfriend. While moving in Mikuo meets Akaito, another tenant in the apartments who lives just down the hall from him. Yet neither one of the knows how big an impact the other will have on his life.


Mikuo parked his car and looked up at the building in front of him. _**Hitherwood**_ read the huge letters that clung to its typical off beige stone walls, the name of the new apartment complex he was currently moving into. He turned off the engine and grabbed a box from the front seat._ For a cheap apartment complex, it doesn't look so bad_, he thought, clenching his keys in his mouth while he lifted the box out of the car with him, pushing the door closed with the side of his hip. He had honestly expected worse, maybe something a little better than those gritty motels he had first looked at, but this beat his expectations gladly. _Still, it's no **Garden Gates**, _Mikuo mused, remembering his visit to the high-classed "community living area", as stated on the brochure, that flew way out of his budget. He tore his gaze away and clicked on the alarm. His footsteps crunched over the gravel as he made his way to the front office.

"Hello?" he called into the small empty window that designated as the help desk in what he assumed to be the apartment lobby. "Hello?" he called once again, becoming impatient, craning his head as he tried to see if there was anyone on the other side of the glass. The box he was carrying was becoming heavier by the second and he didn't know how much longer he could carry it. Mikuo was never a muscular guy, but pride he expresses often; being so tired after just the first box irritated him. Just as he was about to turn away, a woman with blonde hair and dark roots appeared in the small square, sneering out a "What do you need?"

"I'm a new tenant, I'm here to pick up my key," he explained. She asked him for his name, and after he had given it, handed over a silver key. "Bs are the second floor," she stated before promptly disappearing.

"So much for the welcome parade," Mikuo muttered as he shifted the grip of the box and turned toward the stairs. He found his apartment with ease, opening the door and dropping off the box. Instead of taking in the apartment he quickly hurried back to his car to get more boxes, not letting himself take any breaks. After a few minutes he was lugging up a big box up the stairs with difficulty. He strained to see past the box, but was failing. Such things proved to be difficult to him due to his shorter than average stature.

As he walked in the general direction of his apartment, or at least where he thought the general direction was, he felt the front of the box slam into something solid, the force sending both the box and Mikuo to the floor with a crash. "Ow!" the tealette cried, rubbing his head and looked up see a redheaded stranger.

"Oh my goodness," the redhead cried, rushing to Mikuo's aid. He dropped to the floor to the fallen boy's side without hesitation, his face pushing close. Mikuo's back stiffened as he leaned his head away from the stranger's, the redhead's sudden proximity surprising a blush out of him. Yet as he leaned back the red mop of hair leaned forward, reaching a hand out to rest on the back of Mikuo's skull, keeping him in place as he leaned over him, his body hovering slightly above Mikuo's whose flush grew deeper as the stranger peered at his face, burgundy eyes glued to his own aqua irises.

For an instant time stopped as they gazed at each other. Mikuo noticed golden flecks insides the maroon drops, long lashed and hidden by the spiked hair that hung partly in the stranger's face. His sight, as if pulled, drew down to see the rest of this stranger's fair face, made up of a slender nose and soft pink lips. He stared at them intently, wanting to reach out and stroke them. _They look so soft_, he thought to himself

"Are you OK?" the lips moved suddenly, their words breaking the spell. Mikuo shook his head, as if coming out of a daydream and returned his focus to the man who laid in front of him. The stranger's eyes were still fixed on him, amusement gleaming with the gold. His hand, which felt slightly large, now rested on the back of Mikuo's head, slender fingers gently probing his skull for any sign of impact from the fall. When none was found the redhead sat back on his heels with a smile, finally giving Mikuo his space back. Mikuo inhaled deeply, thankful for the renewed open air, yet missing the body heat the stranger had given.

At the slight raise of the stranger's eyebrow, Mikuo realized that he was still waiting for an answer to his question. "Uh..I..uh..yeah I'm fine," he sputtered out. His throat felt dry all of a sudden and he cleared his throat before managing to speak again. "Are-are you alright?"

The redhead laughed a musical laugh that brought out a smile in Mikuo. "Yup, I'm built pretty solid," was the reply with a thump across said solid chest for emphasis. They both bent back over and began to retrieve the items that had scattered across the floor, returning them rightfully to the box. When they straighten everything, the stranger lifted the box and stood, holding out a hand to help Mikuo up. He handed the box to Mikuo with ease, whose arms sank with the weight of it, before flashing a parting smile and continuing down the hall. Mikuo glanced over his shoulder and watched him leave before returning to his new apartment to finish unpacking. Closing the door behind him, he sighed and leaned back into the wood trying to figure out why his heart was beating so fast.


End file.
